Mechanical music-playing instrument.



No. 764,221. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. F. 0. WHITE.

MECHANICAL MUSIC PLAYING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DB0, 2a. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Patented July 5, 19C 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. WHITE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

MECHANICAL MUSIC-PLAYING INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,221, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed December 26,1903. Serial No. 186,524. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK O. WVHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merid en, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Music-Playing Instruments, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufliciently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to a novel construction and combination of brake mechanism for employment in connection with the musicsheetoperating rolls in pneumatically controlled mechanical musical instruments, the object being to provide a practically efficient and simple mechanism adapted for the alternate exertion of resistance in connection with the musicsheet spool or roll and the take-up spool or draft-roller, and also means for shifting the brake for contact or action with one roller mechanism or the other coincident with the manipulation of the draftcontrolling or reroll stop of the instrument, as more fully hereinafter explained.

Another object is to provide a dual-acting brake device of the character described and operative in connection with frictional surfaces carried on the axles of the draft and music-sheet rollers, means for automatically shifting the brake-contact from one to the other, and means for affording resilient or yielding contact of the braking-surfaces.

These objects I attain, by mechanism the nature of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a plan view of the music-sheetoperating parts in a mechanical musical instrument embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents, on a somewhat larger scale, a sectional elevation of the mechanism at line X X on Fig. 1 and looking from the lefthand side. Fig. 3 is a side-view diagram illustrating a modification in the form of the mechanism. Fig. 4: is a plan view of the brake-bar as employed in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 isa perspective diagram illustrating a modifiCatilOn $lIOWlD a manner Of 0 )eratin the devices from the reroll stop or lever.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings my invention is illustrated as applied to an automatic piano player of the class described in Letters Patent No. 592,641; but I do not desire to confine my invention to that particular style of instrument, as the improvement is applicable ing-bearing for carrying the removable music roll or spool C, upon which the perforated music-sheet M is mounted in well-known manner.

D indicates the operated draft-roller or take-up spool at the back of the tracker E, by which the music-sheet is drawn from the roll C across the face of the tracker. Said roller is journaled in the frame in well-known manner and is operated from the motordriven shaft F by gear G and pinion G, while H indicates the usual band or sprocket-chain connection for operating the music-roll clutch B when rerolling the music-sheet upon its spool or roll C.

The parts of a music-playing action comprising lingers or striker-levers I for playing the keys of a piano or keyboard, the pup pet J or device for moving said striker-lever, actuating-lever I, operating-pneumatic K for imparting movement to operate the strikerlevers, and an exhaust-chamber or wind-chest IV for the pneumatics may be of usual, wellknown, or any preferred construction. Such parts are not features of my present invention, but are illustrated in order to give a better understanding of the combination and operation in connection therewith of the invention herein claimed.

According to my present invention there is provided, in combination with the take-up spool or draft-roller axle, a drag-wheel or device 2, having a friction-surface, and on the music-roll-clutch axle a drag-wheel or device 3, having a friction-surface, and combined therewith I provide a brake bar or lever 5,

IOU

centrally fulcrumed at 4 upon a suitable support and provided on its arms with contactfaces or brake-shoes 6 and 7, preferably of hard wood, that are respectively adapted for frictional engagement with the faces of the drag-wheels 2 and 3. The contacts are made alternatethat is, either one of the brakeshoes being brought into contact with its dragwheel while the other is moved away from its drag-wheel by the tilting of the brake bar or lever 5 upon its fulcrum-pivot 4. A spring 9 is combined with the brake-lever 5 for normally swinging its rear end toward the dragwheel 2. Said spring 9, as shown, consists of a contractile coil with its ends respectively attached to the arm of a lever 5 and to a stationary point 10 on the frame. The brake-lever is also joined by a connecting-link 12 with the movable member of a pneumatic 13, having a passage 14 from its interior into the exhaustchamber N or some portion of the instrument from which air is exhausted. Said connection 12 may in some instances be a straight rod, but is preferably made as a spring or yieldable connection, as in Fig. 2, and is best provided with an adjusting button or nut 15, screw-threaded upon the end thereof.

The tiltable brake bar or lever 5 may be disposed in any convenient position in relation to the drag-wheels for acting against the surfaces thereof alternately by the tilting movement of the brake bar. I In Figs. 3 and 5 it is shown as disposed below the roller-axles and drag-wheels.

In some instances the brake bar or lever 5 can be made with a resilient or spring portion 55, of metal or other suitable material, as in Figs. 3-, 4:, and 5, to afford ayieldable contact of the brake-surfaces. A valve 16 can be employed for shutting off the passage into the pneumatic 13, with a suitable connection or means 17 for working such valve, although such valve is not required in instruments wherein the wind-chamber N is shut olf from the bellows-reservoir when the reroll-stop is operated.

The operation is as follows: When a roll of music is to be played, the partial vacuum created within the wind-chest W for operating the pneumatics K of the playing-action exhausts the pneumatic 13 through its passage 14, and its movable member or top is drawn downward, together with the connection 12, which moves the brake-lever 5 in a manner to bring the pad or brake-shoe 7 into contact with the drag-wheel 3 on the music-roll clutch B and to simultaneously move the pad or brake-shoe 6 out of contact with the dragwheel 2, which is mounted on the axle or shaft of the draft-roller D, thus releasing the draft-roller and applying a resistant friction in connection with the music-roll. The force of the brake-contact is governed by the power of the pneumatic 13 and the resilient strength of the spring connection. The degree of the brake tension can be regulated by the button or nut 15 on the connecting member 12. When the mechanism for the rerolling of the music-sheet is thrown into action, the passage leading from the wind-chest W to the bellows (not shown) is closed in well-known manner by the manipulation of the rerollstop, thereby relieving the exhaust in the wind-chest and permitting the pneumatic 13 to expand by the action of the spring 9 moving the brake-lever in a manner to bring the pad or shoe 6 into contact with the dragwheel 2 of the draft-roller D and at the same time withdraw the pad or shoe 7 from contact with the drag-wheel 3 of the music-roll clutch, thus effecting automatically the shifting of the brake-action as the change in direction of movement of the music-sheet is effected by manipulation of the play and reroll stop mechanism.

The diagram Fig. 5 illustrates a construction and manner of operating the brake mechanism manually and direct from the reroll stop-lever 19 instead of by a pneumatic 13. It consists of a rocker or crank wire 20, having an arm 21, that. embraces the connection 12, and a crank-arm connected by link 22 with the lever 19. at 23 is in practice connected in well-known or suitable manner for working the valve that controls the exhaust-passage from the Windchest to the bellows reservoir (not shown) for letting on or cutting oif the exhaust or pressure by a movement of the lever 19 from reroll to play position, or vice versa. WV hen the lever'is moved to play position, the arm 21 of the rocker is swung down against the lug or button 25 and tilts the brakebar so as to relieve the brake from draftroller wheel 2 and apply the brake to dragwheel 3 of the music-roll clutch. The mechanism of Fig. 5 can be used in connection with a pneumatic-actuator, the pneumatic being combined with the connection 12, substantially in the same manner as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Brake mechanism of different character having been employed prior to my invention in combination with a music-sheet roll for affording frictional resistance to cause the sheet to run taut, I do not claim the idea broadly of employing frictional resistance for the purpose named; but my invention relates to means embodying the essential characteristics set forth and defined.

Inasmuch as changes may be made in the construction of the mechanism by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the claims, I do not wish to be limited to the special form of embodiment herein shown and described.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination with the draft-roller,- and the The extension of the link music-roll clutch, each provided with means for receiving brake-contact, of a tilting brakebar provided with front and rear brake-surfaces that can alternately engage therewith for resistance to the music-roll and draftroller mechanism, and means for tilting said brake-bar to bring either of the brake members into braking contact, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, in combination with the draft-roller axle, and music-roll clutch or axle, each provided with means for a brake-contact, a compound brake device provided with brake shoes that act against the respective brake contact-surfaces, alternately, and means for moving said brake device to bring either of said brake-shoes into braking contact automatically, when the direction of movement of the music-sheet is changed.

3. A mechanical music playing instrument, having an exhaust-chamber, in combi nation, with the music winding or draft roller, a drag-Wheel fixed on the axle thereof, the music-roll clutch, a drag-wheel thereon, a pivotally supported brake bar, its respective arms provided with brake-surfaces adapted for frictional contact with said drag-wheels, an exhaust-chamber within the instrument, a pneumatic having a passage communicating with said exhaust-chamber, a suitableconnection joining the movable part of said pneumatic to said brake-bar, and a spring connected with said brake-bar and acting in opposition to said pneumatic.

I. In a mechanical music-playing instrument in combination with mechanism for advancing and for rerolling the music-sheet, a brake mechanism comprising a single brakelever provided with two brake shoes or surfaces adapted to act alternately for resistance to the music draft and rerolling movements, and an operating means for tilting said brakelever to bring either brake-shoe into braking contact.

5. In a mechanical music-playinginstrument, in combination with the music-draft roller, the tracker and music-roll clutch; a dual brake comprising a rocking member with means for alternate application to control the draft-roller and the music-roll, and a brakeactuating means for automatically shifting the brake-contact controlled by the rerollstop.

6. In a mechanical music playing instrument, the combination with the music-roll clutch, having a drag-wheel thereon; the music-draft roller, its axle provided with a dragwheel or brake-receiving surface; a tiltablysupported brake-bar having contact means for frictional engagement with the respective drag-wheel surfaces; means for effecting a yielding pressure for said brakebar, and means for moving the brake-bar to bring either end thereof into braking position upon the corresponding drag-wheels.

7. In a mechanical music playing instrument, in combination with the exhaust windchest, the music-draft roller, its axle provided with a drag-wheel or brake contact-surface, the music-roll, its clutch provided with adragwheel or brake contactsurface, a pivoted brake-bar provided with brake-shoes to match the respective drag-wheels, a spring for retracting said brake-bar, a pneumatic in communication with the exhaust-chamber of the instrument, a connection joining the movable member of said pneumatic to said brake-bar.

8. The combination with the draft-roller and music-roll clutch, each provided with a drag-wheel surface, a centrally-pivoted brakelever with arms extending to the respective drag-wheels and provided with means for frictional contact therewith, means for affording a yielding pressure of said lever, a lever-actuating pneumatic, a connecting-link from the pneumatic to the brake-lever, a regulating device for said connecting-link, a retracting-spring, and means for controlling the exhaust or pressure in said pneumatic.

9. In a mechanical musicplaying instru -ment, in combination, a pneumatic lingerplaying action, a wind-chest therefor, a controlling perforated music-sheet, a draft-roll and a music-roll clutch, each provided with a drag-wheel or brake-receiving surface, a movable brake having brake-shoes for contacting with the respective brake-receiving surfaces, means for affording yielding action to the brake, and a pneumatic connected with said brake, and having a passage into said windchest, for automatically shifting the brakecontact in coincidence with the reroll-stop.

itness my hand this 23d day of December, 1903.

FRANK C. IVHITE.

WVitnesses:

JAS. H. THITE, C. L, PIERCE. 

